CLOSING OF THE WINGS

The end of the wings has to be closed with a skin that has a number of tabs which need to be bent before riveting. This picture shows the end skin of the right wing ready for riveting

Note to the builders: Do not cleco the holes located at the bottom on the picture. Start by clecoing and riveting the tabs which are on the top of the picture (the wing is upside down to facilitate the work - this is not mentioned in the VANs instructions). The reason is that, as I mentioned in a previous post about the "sucker flanges", these tabs are soft and can easily be pushed away when you push the rivet in the hole. If this happens, the only way to push the tab back into position is to slide your hand under the skin to reach the run away tab and hold it while you push the rivet in the hole.
In the picture below, the closing of the right wing is completed. Note the clecos remaining in the holes that need to be left open for the installation of the wing tip position light. The light kit was intended as an add on and tells you to remove these rivets, better not to put them in the first place!


Closing of the right wing:
Note the paper taped on the skin to mark each angle at which the corresponding tabs must be bent. The rectangular hole is the handle to hold/lift the wing while the oval hole is the access to the light connector that will be covered with the position light housing.

I postponed the installation of the position light housing because it involves some resin/fiberglass handling that will be done at the time of the fiberglass work on the canopy.